Snippets / Memories / Photos of the day:



The view from tonight’s Hotel window.

• Last night we rode straight past Ashford Castle situated just a few hundred meters from our last night’s hotel as it was raining and we wanted to just get in. We thought we’d probably check it out this morning but the day dawned with blue skies and the prospect of riding in the sun under that was far too seductive a possibility to pass up so we headed off without the Castle tour. By the time we got to Sligo we were thinking we may have been better off to have the tour as it had gotten very very grey again but thankfully no rain, and we have had sunshine and just a bit of cloud for the rest of the day. Yay!
• Checked in at 11.30am. Didn’t expect to be able to do that so since we also found we had an electric towel rail decided to do some washing before we headed off on our circular ride in the area.



A view from Rosses Point towards Sligo.

• This is Yeats Country as signs everywhere told us and we continued to have a lovely ride as we had on the way up to Sligo.
• The majority of the country we have seen today has been more agriculturally productive and intensely farmed and the countryside as well as the towns much more densely settled.
• Empty shops / businesses as well as abandoned houses under construction in evidence still.
• Spectacular views towards the outcrops of rock with scree tumbling down to the grass level down below.



Yeats country on the way to Drumcliffe where Yeats was buried.

• We trekked around the Glencar Lough (Lake) and discovered there was also a pretty little waterfall to view.
• Have enjoyed many leafy glades on the edges of the Lough.
• Glad we took the road verge photo of flowers yesterday as there have been few today.



Glencar Waterfall on the edge of Glencar Lough.

• We found Parkes Castle, Kilmore on the shore of Lough Gill after having been sent by the GPS up a mountainside on what was barely a single lane track to find a dramatic view across the cliff faces but no castle before returning to the edge of the Lake and goodness gracious….a castle!
• From there we headed off to find Dooney Rock, Aughamore Far and after a couple of false starts did so. It was surrounded by dense forest full of moss and ferns under the trees and we found some beautiful views on the lake shore as well as from on top of the rock itself. Worth the very strenuous climb….for me anyway, the strenuous climb that is, the view was spectacular for us both!



A view from Dooney Rock towards Cottage Island on Lake Gill.

Bits and Bobs:

I like it in the UK and Ireland how you can park cars on either side of the road in either direction (where parking is allowed that is). Makes more sense than being illegal at home!

Also impressed with their roadwork’s signs. They are less intrusive and extensive than what we have at home but work well and assume we are thinking people rather than dimwits obviously!

Last nights’ Accommodation:

Lisloughrey Lodge, Cong, Ireland

This is a ‘nice soft place to fall’ and I felt like I needed such a refuge by the time I got in yesterday afternoon. The main building is bright and airy with beautiful public places and we are in a new section with a lovely room and ensuite. The staff has been very welcoming and obliging and the food just beautiful. There seems to be an air of ‘retreat from hustle and bustle’ here which has been easy to take. One of our more expensive choices but have enjoyed it at the end of a very wet day.



Lisloughrey Lodge Hotel, this is the 1920’s build. We were to the right in the newer section.

Snippets / Memories / Photos of the day:



On the road heading for Roundstone, lucky it was raining so much or we would have been all day taking one photo after another of the incredible views of water and mountains disappearing into it and disappearing into the cloud overhead as we explored the Connemara Peninsula.

• Another grand soft day. Wet most of the day, drizzle and rain, thankfully missed the worst of it and only had to deal with the water left on the roadway. At times sheeting across or laying in pools. Thankfully we didn’t get any on the wheel track lane we encountered on the way to Claddaghuff.
• Being relieved I (we both) felt comfortably warm in spite of the weather.
• Have had a great sense of ‘feeling’ like we have travelled in a very remote area today in spite of the holiday traffic.
• Reminiscent of the countryside we encountered in remote north western Scotland in 2010.



Roundstone Harbour / sea wall while we waited for coffee.

• Winding through fields scattered with small to massive rocks separated by rock walls. Variable amounts of grass and occasionally sheep.
• Cannot believe the number of homes scattered through the stone fields and clinging to the edges of the waterways.
• Noticeable holiday accommodation around as we headed north along the cliffs from Roundstone. Must be good appeal for those wanting a remote experience.
• Spotted a number of anglers with rods out in some fast moving streams today. Hardy individuals!



Road verge flowers as a matter of principle. Not the variety of flowers we saw farther south but took this (in the rain) in case we miss out altogether. These occasional patches seemed to occasionally soften the views today.

• Kept being surprised by the occasional deep leafy glade we would ride into in small valleys and the lea of hills. Beautiful!
• Am in awe of the steepness of the largely bald hills (other than grasses and I guess heather and small shrubs) which rose up around us like great green walls into the clouds (and there were lots of those today).



Kylemore Abbey.

• Very impressed to hear one of the original owners planted over 300,000 trees which have established a substantial and beautiful forest which just shows given the chance this rugged land can still support that.
• As the day progressed there was more evidence of water rushing to the sea. The great green walls of hills seemed to have great lines scraped from top to bottom with impromptu waterfalls and rivulets tumbling down them in the distance and giving spectacular brief views close to the roadside as well.



The view from the front of today’s Hotel. Very nice.

Bits and Bobs:

Galway has had a week of horse races which finished yesterday so the city was in a party mood last night. Lots of people around in all sorts of glam wear as well as the odd tourist from Australia not.

One of the things I’m enjoying is catching glimpses of familiar looking faces. The night before last our waitress could have been a young Peggy Bell (as was one we had a few nights ago). I’ve also glimpsed my young sister Jenny’s likeness as I have my Uncle Lenny. Feels good!

As we were heading out of Dingle the day before yesterday I spotted a race track running up the side of a hill (I kid you not) and over the top of it, I cannot imagine race horses galloping in either direction!

Last nights’ Accommodation:

Park House Hotel, Galway, Ireland

Lovely hotel. The area it was set in seemed like it had fallen somewhat from grace over time and is now experiencing a revival so we were surprised that the hotel had survived over that time…that is until we came inside. The building was just beautiful with gracious public spaces and incredible attention to detail in everything. Impeccably clean throughout and the food and service was magnificent. Happy we could also park the bikes undercover near the rear entry so nice and secure. Would be happy to stay again. Norm even got a bucket of water to give the bikes a bit of a wash and they managed to stay clean overnight and for about half an hour today….mind you they still look better than they did before the wash which gives some idea of how filthy they were!



Park House Hotel

Snippets / Memories / Photos of the day:



Bunratty Castle.

• Waking to leaden skies but no rain until late in the day and then only a little so no wet weather gear until then.
• Enjoyed our stroll around the Bunratty Folk Park and getting a snapshot view of village life from times gone by.
• Enjoyed the smell of peat burning and seeing soda bread being made and hearing snippets of ancient lives.
• Our walk through Bunratty Castle gave us an idea of how the castle shell we explored yesterday should have looked. Very impressively restored.



The Cliffs of Moher.

• Winding through farming communities and up and down hills.
• Seeing lots of new build houses still (mainly around villages).
• Also seeing a good number of abandoned projects partly built apartment buildings and houses as well as many empty shops / factory buildings. Very sad.



Street view in Doolin, enjoyed some yummy soup at O’Connor’s Pub.

• Incredibly dramatic outlook along the Cliffs of Moher. Wouldn’t have had to worry about being invaded from there!
• HUGE visitor centre at the Cliffs.
• Incredibly inhospitable farmland with large amounts of rock strewn about and yet huge numbers of little cottages and larger houses dotted all over the hilly surrounds.



The Poulnabrone Dolmen Portal Tomb (Needless to say from ancient times)

• From here on we came across more and more fields of limestone!
• Miles and miles of stony fields separated by stone walls and practically no grass within them the higher the attitude.
• Disbelief that people would claim such land! Must have been / be a tough existence.
• Surprisingly substantial homes lower down the ‘bald’ hills.
• Enjoyable walk through the Ailwee Limestone Caves.



Limestone fields looking across to a limestone hill and the contrast to farmland as we get lower.

Bits and Bobs:

Since we have been in Ireland we have been aware of a great absence of trucks on roads, and I’m not referring to little country lanes then the day before yesterday we spotted a truck yard / depot with big numbers of curtain sided trailers parked up. A reflection of the economy perhaps.

Irish communities give the appearance of being very self-sufficient. Most either have or are close to an active fishing village and all the restaurants / cafes proudly boast they serve local produce only. Some large hotel chains advertise they have their own market gardens. Possibly historically something they have had to be.

The town of Tralee we rode through yesterday was interesting. It had architecture examples from the ancient to modern and everything in between but it seemed to work.

Last nights’ Accommodation:

Bunratty Castle Hotel, Bunratty, Ireland

Beautiful and spacious room in a beautifully decorated and maintained building. Gracious public spaces and grounds. Staff very obliging food delicious. A spa on site also so catering for all sorts of tastes. Would be happy to come back here again.



Bunratty Castle Hotel (well part of it – 145 rooms and conference spaces for up to 300 as well).

Snippets / Memories / Photos of the day:

• Listening to pouring rain on the roof for most of the night.
• Water sheeting across roads this morning and much rain.
• More lovely road verges full of flowers with more rain and so no photo (and we seem to have moved on from fuchsia country…damn!)
• A short sharp shower of hail to remind us that things could still get worse!
• ….and more and more rain in short sharp bursts but overall we had fine weather to make our visits so that was good.



Some of the remains of Ardfert Cathedral, St Brendan’s territory.

• Incredible sweeping views from up the mountain down across manicured farmland to the shore.
• Dairy cows, dairy cows and more dairy cows.
• Mud, mud and more mud on the road….compliments of those cows and heavy rain.
• Dirty filthy bikes, very sad. We left them uncovered last night to get a bit of the crud washed off (which worked to a superficial level) but it has been replaced again today.
• Peat briquettes at all the servos (not unlike our brown coal briquettes at home).



Carrigafoyle Castle. Apparently any ancient Castles surviving here were in the hands of supporters of Queen Elizabeth I during various rebellious times (or were seized with little damage and handed on to supporters). This one wasn’t. An apparently impregnable castle had the side blown out of it. It is still impressive (5 storeys high) and many of the tower rooms intact.

• Surprising enjoyment of the Glin & Foynes Flying Boat Museum…as well as more great soup for lunch.
• Brilliant and surprising burst of sunlight and clear skies.
• Tiny lanes like secret paths.
• The quizzical looks of the locals when they see us getting all the wet weather gear on at servos and the likes. Looks like they think ‘with all that good weather out there what are they doing here in this?’
• Spectacular views between the mountains of the peninsulas up to the woolly grey clouds overhead.



Part of the full scale model of one of the Flying Boats which crossed the Atlantic Ocean to America and back. Held a surprising number of passengers. A heady era lasting 2 years short of 20. Just shows being on the cutting edge of development / technology can have dramatic consequence and life takes over…in this instance WWII and development of different flying craft.

Bits and Bobs:

The universality of farming…in Australia Farmer Jones…here Farmer Murphy I guess drags heaps of mud out onto the road and doesn’t make any effort to clean it up. Interesting…if we do that in our Industry (trucks) we have to clean it up or get hefty fines. Guess there must be more farmers than Truckies in Parliament here as well as at home.

Last nights’ Accommodation:

Dingle Bay Hotel, Ireland

A delightful find in a quaint fishing village. The outside looked cheerful…and the inside has been nicely refurbished though an eye to detail was slightly off on some of the fittings, or it might be handyman maintenance and things becoming loose. Disappointing. Our room is large and restful. Staff are friendly and helpful (many thanks for organising our laundry) and the food was great but hated the rubber backed sheet on the bed….was sweaty all night and when I raised that on check out I was met by a wall of ‘talk to the hand’…pretty much. Disappointing.



Dingle Bay Hotel

Snippets / Memories / Photos of the day:



Ross Castle, Killarney.

• Waking to sunny skies even though there was some light rain.
• Forecasts of thunderstorms and flash flooding where we were heading.
• A beautifully manicured town.



Cantilever stairs to the guard’s tower at Ross Castle. These are very clever, with rock ¾’s of the stair width set in the wall so there is nothing needed underneath to support it.

• Dramatic leaden sky descending upon us as we viewed the castle.
• Beautiful leafy National Park on the edge of town.
• Seeing a sign ‘Irish Tidy Town Winner 2011’ on the way out of town. No surprise that one.



The Cathedral on the way out of Killarney…from the footpath, very handy!

• More lanes of red fuchsias and assorted flowers…we need to get the combination of somewhere safe to pull off, flowers and no rain. Has yet to happen!
• Magnificent vistas up the mountain edges to a crown of cloud on top.
• Countless farmers’ fields intersected by fuchsia hedgerows. The dramatic red against the green was awesome…still raining!
• Many picturesque areas of farming settlements.



Inch Beach which was full of would be surfers, instructors and tourists in crappy weather. Apparently the site of a famous movie in 1960 also has great coffee at the coffee shop in the sand dunes.

• Nice welcome at the Hotel when we dropped the bags.
• Scary steep stony road to the upper car-park.
• Quaint fishing village jam packed with holiday makers celebrating the Bank Holiday (on Monday).



Stonehouse Restaurant above the ancient Dunbeg Fort.

• Tramping down to the Dunbeg Fort which was interesting
• Dramatic views from the Fort site of the crumbling walls
• Small waterfalls pouring down over the cliff to the ocean
• Areas of rocky marshland with dense growth of heather and coarse grasses.



A view across to a rugged cliff face from the Dunbeg Fort site.

• Finding a flooded corner on a mountainous little road and getting across in one piece, phew!
• Finding more and more man hole covers in strategically awkward position on the road. Can be very slippery.
• Gratitude that we found a laundry which could wash and dry all our wet stuff and return in to the hotel tonight. Yay!

Bits and Bobs:

A PS to last night’s comment re moving the bikes because the ‘Boss’ was coming in later and they didn’t want to get the bikes damaged……well later the ‘Boss' came in ….that would be a Bus / Coach. Ha ha. Some of these Irish accents are almost indecipherable.

Last nights’ Accommodation:

Randles Court Hotel, Killarney, Ireland

This was a beautiful building with multiple restful and gracious spaces. Our room was wonderful, bathroom great and the lounge and bar beautiful to relax in and dining room wonderful to experience. The staff was terrific and I would love to return at a later date. Well done to all who work here because you do it very well! It also has a pool and health spa…shame we weren’t here for a longer period of time.



Randles Court Hotel

Fishing boats in the harbour at Castletownbere last night after dinner. The carnival was in the process of setting up behind us.

We have had a huge day getting on the bikes at 8.30am this morning and finally getting in after 3pm. The weather has been largely kind and the roads mostly dry. Our visual senses have been saturated! We started off having decided on specific sorts of photos we would stop for as the estimated travel time was 4hours 12minutes and we had barely set out when Norm pulled over and as I joined him he was digging the camera out of his pocket saying “It’s going to be a big day!’. Not many kilometres past there when we were just experiencing more and more incredible sights and experiences he pulled over again and as I caught up with him he said “I’m not taking a photo; I’m just catching my breath, WOW!!” And that folks is pretty much how the day has gone so I think I’ll let the pictures largely tell the story while apologising for not having as many as we would have liked due to weather challenges and for only catching such a small glimpse of what were hugely incredible vistas.’



On the road to Ballaghboy

Memories of the day:

• Roadside verges jam packed with flowers from the fine red fuchsias (some like small trees) and orange bulbs mixed with cream and yellow flowers and purple heather for good measure and not anywhere near farms or settlements
• Incredibly wild rugged rocks for miles and miles



Very little heather to be seen but room to pull over for a photo

• Shaggy rocks almost covered in long green grass making them look woolly and unkempt
• Heather, heather and more heather on the roadside, in the fields and crevices on the cliff faces
• Breathtaking views of safe harbours
• Swallows everywhere darting about around Ballaghboy
• Being grateful the wind was so fierce so I could decline the chance to go across the water in the cable car (being the only one that goes over sea water in Europe) but described by locals as precarious at best and it looked very much like a home-made vintage job!



And here it is

• Dramatic rugged rocky cliffs and promontories
• A cliff face covered in heather….and nowhere to stop for a photo!
• The smell of peat burning as we passed farmhouses
• Small winding roads rolling up and down and climbing around the cliff faces into and out of harbours. What sort of stubborn people built these?
• Scattered settlements of stone cottages standing firm against the elements



Around the Staigue area

• Sheep, sheep and more sheep oblivious to our passing
• A French motoring club (with an abiding hatred of the Irish) who are here in their cars in big numbers travelling at 40 – 60km on 100km roads to annoy the locals….and these two Australians. All up they (in several groups) added over an hour to our travel time today
• Rows of peat being dug up and stacked up for pick-up
• The ethereal sight of the spire of Killarney Cathedral as we rode into town
• Bustling villages with festivals in progress, my favourite title was the ‘Random acts of Kindness Festival’



Kenmar Village - a welcome coffee stop

• The lovely feeling of being enveloped in a quiet beautiful space as we checked in at our hotel. One beautiful space after another. Aaaahhhh



A lovely room and all the lounges are comfortable as well

• The Hotel Manager asking Norm to move the bikes from the parking spot they were in saying “the Hotel owner will be coming tonight and we don’t want them to get damaged”…..I kid you not! Don’t know what that says about his driving. Anyway they are safely parked under the hotel now

Bits and Bobs:

We heard on the news yesterday that the unemployment rate is 14% and after Norm had been lying on the bed for a bit he informed me that anyone on unemployment over here mustn’t be able to get a job because there’s no way they would stay home and willingly watch the crap that was on TV…could be right.

We had e delicious dinner at a Chinese Restaurant last night and I opened my fortune cookie and read ‘You are straightforward and honest’ and Norm nodded and read his (saying something a bit crass which I won’t repeat as if it was a quote). I took it off him and it read ‘Go on be naughty but nice’. Cracked us both up!

Last nights’ Accommodation:

Island View House B&B, Castletownbere, Ireland

A very nice building with great views out of the harbour to Bear Island. We had the front room which was the pick of the views. Nice comfortable bed and good shower. Comfortable sitting room and breakfast room and delicious breakfast. Obliging host but not in our face so appreciated that. Parked the bikes at the front door so appreciated that also. There were two very enthusiastic dogs in residence which were well trained and friendly but I found it off putting to go into the kitchen to pay this morning and find them well at home in the kitchen.



Island View House

Our first view of Timoleague across the mudflats of the estuary. The Abbey was an impressive sight when we moved further inland.

The morning started as another grand soft sort of day with wet slick roads and slow travelling. Kinsale was a bustling little fishing village but we were soon out of there and heading west and throughout the day enjoyed a variety of views from rolling green farmland, manicured towns with really pretty cottages and larger town houses as well as tiny (ancient) shops jammed in higgledy piggledy almost on top of each other rather than beside. I loved that there were rarely two shops the same colour and in some areas the houses as well in the villages which made for a colourful display.



A view to Baltimore.

We wound our way along the coastline and were rewarded with many spectacular views to both rugged wild and rocky coastlines with breakers smashing up the rocks to long estuaries with extensive mudflats at low tide this morning. Everywhere there were streams / rivers emptying into the water the flow was absolutely galloping so beautiful to see. As we headed for Baltimore we left a lot of the farmland behind and started coming across more rugged rocky outcrops amidst the farmland and this has increased as we have headed west.



Mizen Head, ferocious water wearing away at this cliff face.

From Baltimore we headed for Mizen Head and the countryside became more and more rugged. There seemed to be more exposed rock than anything else with pockets of lush grass, scrubby trees and in every nook and cranny of the rocks heather and ferns growing. It truly was spectacular. Every so often in the midst of this we would find a farm struggling along. The wind was ferocious as we headed towards the head which explained the absence of any decent trees except in little valleys where we often rode through green leafy tunnels. A magnificent contrast.



Heading back from Mizen Head another view complete with an Irish cottage and views into the bay.

We appreciated that the rain dried up for the most off the afternoon so we could take the waterproof jackets off but donned them about 30 minutes before we got in as there were some more scattered showers as we wound along the Beara Peninsula on our way here to Castletownbere where we found a large harbour with some sizeable ferries lined up as well as fishing boats and other watercraft.

To quote Norm ‘the views we’ve seen today were way too big to be captured in photos’ and he’s right. We could only capture small pieces of each and at times the view was dramatic because of the rain sweeping in across the mountains or water and we didn’t get those ones at all.

Bits and Bobs:

We have discovered that it is exceedingly difficult to find public toilets in Ireland. Many of the servos don’t have them or tell you they’re out of order and go somewhere else and they seem to be well hidden or absent in towns. Not helpful for the travelling public either locals or tourists and it isn’t just us, every time we have been trying to track them down others have been equally frustrated with the set up as well.

Last nights’ Accommodation:

The White Lady Hotel, Kinsale Ireland

A combination of two buildings clinging to the cliff face on a narrow little street just above the harbour. It has had a reasonable sort of refurbishment program and the young people running it are establishing a lot of different offerings including a night club (where we parked our bikes for the night….really). Our room was an adequate family room with a desk as well. The food was delicious and service great but a little more focus on routine maintenance is needed with a number of blown light globes and dusty venetians. I hope they make a go of it they are trying hard.



The White Lady Hotel, we were in the 3 story part at the top of the stairs! The entry to the Nightclub is to the left on the side out of the shot.

The first view of the Rock of Cashel as we approached Cashel yesterday. They have a major restoration project underway to conserve and restore a chapel which is deteriorating rapidly from the effect of moisture. Hardly surprising without a roof after all.

The Rock of Cashel rises majestically from the encircling plain of Golden Vale. This limestone outcrop has the most complete Romanesque church in Ireland, (must be some big wrecks about then) a 13th century Gothic cathedral, a 12th century round tower and an exquisitely restored 15th century Vicars choral. It is here that the original St. Patricks cross can be seen. The Rock of Cashel is a unique heritage site and it is universally recognised as having one of the world’s greatest collections of medieval architecture and Celtic art. (From the reverse of the town map we received from the hotel….except for my comment).



A view through the gravestones at the Rock of Cashel to the fields below and yet another ruin of a church. As you can see the day is to quote our Hotelier “a grand soft day’ which in our terms means soft drizzly rain to rainy drizzle and back again….which it has been all day…or close to it.

In spite of the weather we have had a comfortably warm ride. Not as far today and the travel was not particularly fast as a good bit of it was on country roads which had a reasonable amount of mud on them. (Norm is out with the bucket and rag as I type to get some of the grime off the exhaust pipes at least).



The back of the Cashel Palace, the front is much more impressive but we were in the wrong place to get that..…and by the time we got out we were drenched so take our word for it that this is the ‘birthplace of Guinness’….or so the sign said and so far we haven’t seen anywhere else claim that title..yet anyway.

The countryside has been much more what I’ve expected to see since arriving in Ireland. We have seen lots of gently rolling hills of green well-manicured fields with harvest in varying degrees of completion. Probably more noticeable is the fact that there have been very few fields with rampant weed growth and no properties that have the appearance of being abandoned and being engulfed with weeds and encroaching scrubby tree growth which we have seen a reasonable amount of over the last couple of days.



Our first decent view of Blarney Castle. The cantilevered window was the bedroom of the Earl apparently. Bit of a show off by the look of it. As a young girl having spent many school holidays trying with my sister Maureen to put together a 1,000 + piece jig saw puzzle of the palace with much surrounding foliage and stonework (and never quite managing that)it was a satisfying view to see the thing intact!

Blarney House.

We have travelled through parts of Tipperary, Limerick and Cork Counties today and we have also noticed fewer new build houses, especially on farmland and while I don’t like sweeping generalisations I am about to make a HUGE one. Perhaps the farmers in these counties (on the roads we have travelled) have had a greater concentration on the farming side of things with their EU money than on building houses. Having said that of course, any farmer worth his salt who has a wife who says ‘if you spend your Euro money on the farm instead of giving me a decent house to live in I’m walking out the door’ would build a house. So, win, win however you look at it. What the hell do I know? I’m enjoying it all from the bike seat.



One of the medium sized trees in the gardens….I kid you not. When we say we plant trees for future generations we are not kidding! We have seen many examples of trees from all over the world which would have been gifts from important dignitaries saying they had confidence in the longevity of the Irish Family / Clan resident on sight no doubt.

We missed out on a tour of Blarney House by a small margin but it didn’t matter. We enjoyed our wander around the grounds and gardens between showers lunch and hot chocolate. What an immense area to maintain and pay for! Good luck to them.

Bits and Bobs:

As we were heading towards the gate at Blarney Castle an Irish Grandmother was explaining to her granddaughter (about 8 – 9 years old) what the difference was between ‘boloney’ and ‘blarney’ since there is the Blarney Stone to be kissed at Blarney Castle which apparently bestows the individual with great eloquence once they have kissed the stone.

Grandma said ”boloney is when you are talking rubbish but blarney is when you are being much smarter or cleverer than that” to which here granddaughter replied “it all sounds like boloney to me”….Out of the mouths of babes!

It may interest you to know that Norm didn’t quite understand what was being said until I explained to him that he is usually talking boloney and I am talking blarney..…not convinced he took that on-board.

Last nights’ Accommodation:
Baileys Hotel, Cashel Ireland

A lovely building (built in 1709) which has been lovingly looked after or restored and is a beautifully comfortable spot to have a break from travel. All the staff were welcoming and warm and friendly and we felt well taken care of. The rooms were spacious and the bathroom beautifully appointed and shower delicious with good temperature and water pressure. The bar and restaurant were beautiful spaces (food was delicious) and the library a welcome chill spot. So welcome after a few hours on the road. This would definitely be somewhere I could return to. Good value for money I thought.



Baileys Hotel, the gate to the right is where Norm pushed our bikes for a safe night.

A rather lovely memorial to an ancient old cemetery with graves going back to the 9th and 10th century. The surviving headstones line a walk into and around the Mortuary Chapel and give the village a restful little park. This was a project of the local Council with Youth workers in 1985. We were very impressed. We had to check out the village of Athlone because we have special friends (Bill and Kerry) who lived for a time in the little settlement of Athlone near Drouin in Victoria.

The day dawned sunny with big dark cloudy patches and has remained so all day. Thankfully we travelled more in the sun than cloud and managed to miss the rain entirely so Murphy a bit under par today. We donned the long johns to keep the legs a bit more comfortable which we were grateful of as when we were in the cloud it was decidedly chilly. Tomorrow is forecast to not be as friendly but we will see.



Part of the ruins of the Abbey at Clonmacnoise on the edge of the Shannon River. This was a site where pilgrims made their way to centuries ago. Still looks very peaceful.

We have travelled through lots of rolling green fields today criss-crossed by hedgerows and stone walls / fences separating crops from fields full of sheep and cattle. Less barley and harvested wheat visible today but much evidence of hay and silage. We have also noticed a huge number of new build houses all day both on farmland and in village allotments. These were particularly noticeable around the Athlone and Clonmacnoise areas. Interesting.



The bridge at Shannonbridge looking towards the ancient fort. This was no doubt a point of defence as well as management of trade by whoever inhabited the fort in times gone by. Great volume of water flowing and the quays each side of the river were in good repair with lots of modern boats of all sizes moored.

In an attempt to identify which County Cashel was in so we could find our accommodation we headed for another name on the map the GPS would recognise and ventured into the village of Roscrea which was a delightful combination of ancient and new buildings climbing up and down hills around waterways. We enjoyed a hot chocolate and discovered the Cashel we were looking for was in Tipperary County so set the GPS and headed off. The view of the Rock of Cashel (ancient castle) as we rounded the corner (almost into town) was a WOW moment and we look forward to exploring it before we head off in the morning. By the way we rode past two absolutely beautiful golf courses on our way to Cashel this afternoon.



A street view (from under a begonia pot) down a little street beside a small waterway in Roscrea.

Bits and Bobs:

The locals here seem to consider speed limits more a suggestion than anything else, particularly in the villages and at roadwork’s. As a result we tend to hold the traffic up in these areas as we aim to keep our noses clean in a foreign country.

Last nights’ Accommodation:
Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin Ireland

A very nice hotel, spacious rooms (loved the recliner chair) and sofa as well as plenty of room to do the blog and the best functioning shower we have found so far on our trek. The food in both the restaurant and Gasworks Bar was plentiful and good, we had undercover parking under the hotel and the staff throughout were cheerful and helpful.



Grand Canal Hotel, Dublin

Okay so the rain finally cleared and we decided ‘what the hell’ and we headed out for a very brisk walk to check out some of Dublin. A bit late for the hop on hop off tour so we just walked to St Stephens Green and past Trinity College (with a short break at an Irish Pub) back to the hotel. I am happy to report that we were away for 2 hours and walked very briskly for all that time (apart from the drink about half way through) and Norm’s back was the best it has been since before we came away. YAY!! We have been regularly applying some Deep Freeze gel with vigorous massage from yours truly and stretching from Norm. We’re trying not to get too enthusiastic…but it’s difficult not to.



A pretty street view outside St Stephens Green. Check out the size of the vine trunk on the building!



Enjoying the sights of St Stephens Green

We had a bit of a lie in this morning and woke to beautiful blue skies …… with huge billowing white grey and very black clouds strewn about at random. Looked very impressive though somewhat daunting considering we planned a ride to check our Slane Castle and a Megalithic Passage Tomb at Newgrange. We had a dry trip to the castle then it rained while we were inside so we donned the wet weather gear and rode on to the tunnels.



The front of Sloane Castle where we had a coffee then did the tour followed by lunch.

We arrived to view the tunnels at 1.30pm and were told we needed to return to Newgrange to purchase tickets and come back by coach for the 3.45pm tour. Hello! We planned to do the hop on and off tour in Dublin on our return so that was never going to fly. It was also some consolation that the sky behind us as we headed back to Dublin was as black as the ace of spades….especially since we had packed the wet weather gear away.



The front entry to the Megalithic Passage Tomb taken by Norm (standing on a mound of dirt over the fence).

Best laid plans and all that, shortly after we returned and before we even got changed ‘Murphy’ had realised we’d given him the slip at Newgrange and on the way back to the hotel, but he caught up and it started raining here. Not to worry, the umbrella I left behind in Marshside desperate for space was now gone and heavens above the hotel didn’t have one to borrow so the trek didn’t happen.

Bits and Bobs:

Yesterday as Norm was getting the cases off the bikes out the front of the hotel in the rain a cab pulled up behind the bikes (in view of the Australian sign) and the cabbie said to Norm "Fook the rain, why didn’t you bring the fooking sunshine?” I kid you not. Norm was so stunned he didn’t think to say “well it’s been sunny ever since we got here”. Ha, ha, you have to laugh.

We woke to a clear cool sunny morning and headed off for Waterford. We soon wished we had put on our long johns as it was very cool with sometimes strong winds and grey skies and rain in nearly every direction we looked but we fortunately managed to be heading in different directions than the grey cloud until we got to Waterford, the ‘Oldest city in Ireland’ (or so it said on one of the signs as we headed into town). I was impressed with how clean and tidy the town looked as we made our way to what turned out to be the now derelict Waterford Crystal factory (very sad to see) and then the new factory and shop in the town where we had a coffee and checked out the showroom. I had decided if I saw something I loved I would get it shipped home but nothing took my fancy. We came out in time for our first shower of the day and donned the wet weather gear which remained on for the rest of the day.



Parked on the forecourt at the Waterford Complex.

Then we headed for Kilkenny but as we headed for ‘the picturesque Medieval village’ (another sign) we were about to be caught up by the heavy rain cloud we had just ridden through so having seen a number of Medieval villages in a number of countries we decided to push on to Dunamaise where we sought out the ‘Rock of Dunamaise’ which was the sight of a castle / battlement since the 8th century and fought over by the Irish and the Vikings and eventually the Normans and over time (a lot of time) it was handed from one family to another and fell into disrepair (hugely so). We climbed up amongst the ruins and enjoyed the views of the surrounding countryside and figured the inhabitants must have been some sort of mountain goat just to have lived on this great ‘steep’ mound in the middle of the countryside.



The Rock of Dunamaise

The countryside we have travelled through today has been very reminiscent of the areas around the Dandenong’s, the Yarra Valley and some areas of Gippsland..…I guess they all have a similar climate…on the Australian side without most of the snow of course.



A view of the countryside from the Rock of Dunamaise

Bits and Bobs:

One thing we’ve discovered that England Wales and Ireland all have in common is that you don’t have to be far out of a town or village (sometimes not even) to smell the scent of intensive farming activities…..and I’m not talking about the fragrance of new mown hay!

On a more pleasant note…apparently all the convertible cars in England and Wales (haven’t seen any yet in Ireland) come out for the summer. We have been staggered at the number of them. I guess in Australia the summer is much hotter and people are sitting in air-conditioned comfort instead of baking in the sun….not that there’s been too much baking yet this year I suspect.

Last nights’ Accommodation:

Hotel Talbot, Wexford, Ireland

A large and partly refurbished hotel. The public spaces are lovely as was the food and the staff were very friendly. A nice welcome to Ireland. Our room had yet to be refurbished. We had been moved because there was to be a band in the bar for the night we were told. Would have been interested to see what the original room looked like.



Hotel Talbot, Wexford

Mainly photos again today. We had a great ride to catch the ferry mostly via small lanes and roads around the coast and have wound down into and climbed back out of heaps of little villages and inlets and everywhere there was a decent stretch of beach there were surfers and kayakers in evidence in wetsuits. Not many bathers which was understandable as even though there was no rain the sun came and went and the breeze was pretty chilly.

The ferry ride was 3.5 hours long and then a 20km ride to our hotel for the night in comfortable sunny conditions…and long may that continue.



One of the most intact Castle buildings we have seen in Wales
We were surprised to see the number of coastal ships travelling past us so the coastal shipping industry is obviously more healthy here than in Australia.



A view out across the cliff tops to the coastal shipping lanes between Marloes and St David on the west coast of Wales.

A number of the beaches we travelled through had substantial sea walls (often incorporating the road on it or beside it) so the waters can obviously get nasty when the weather is rough.



Some context for the size of some of the lanes we have been traversing. This pic of one of the larger lanes as we descended into Broadhaven (between St Brides and St David’s).



This one as we followed a farmer’s tractor and trailer of newly mown grass. This was also a larger lane than many we have travelled on but for the short distance a four wheel drive, car and large rigid truck had to reverse to intersections to let him (and happily us) pass.



We overshot the mark heading to the ferry and this is either a little inlet on the way to Cardigan, or its Cardigan. Pretty spot anyway.



Loading onto the Stena Line Ferry looks like it is a fair bit bigger than our Tassie Ferry. The trucks and coaches loaded into the nose of the ship where the doors were open then cars and us into the side.



On our way into Wexford we saw a beautiful fine Church Spire and decided to find it after our dinner and here it is, St Brigidets.

Bits and Bobs:



A coffee stop in Broadhaven gave the locals a chance to check out the bikes. The Welsh appear less inhibited in regards to this as well as tooting and waving as they pass the bikes as well.

Last nights’ Accommodation:

The Giltar Hotel, Tenby, Wales UK

This hotel was a real treat! The public spaces were beautifully decorated and looked after and the rooms are undergoing a major refurbishment and we were fortunate to have one of the newly done rooms which was just lovely. Norm was really impressed that it was still old fashioned enough to have ‘hot’ water in the bathroom rather than just lukewarm as they often are at home these days for fear we burn ourselves….or something. Even better we had a room overlooking the Esplanade and big sandy beach from on top of quite a cliff down onto the shore. The food at the restaurant was brilliant, the entertainment good fun and the two best things of all were the terrific attitude and friendliness of the staff and the incredible care which has been taken of their garden which consists of multiple potted and hanging plants around doors, windows, down in the basement spaces in front of the building and creative topiary strategically placed in front of windows. My favourite being a child rejoicing with arms in the air. Well done all round!



The Giltar Hotel, Tenby



And another shot of the front door. The Hotel has won 1st prize in the ‘Tenby in Bloom’ show for 20009, 2010 and 2011 and should do so again this year (in our humble opinion).

Tintern Abbey from our hotel room

We have had a lovely days riding on some beautiful roads for bikes with lots of sweeping corners and spectacular views with an occasional Motorway or Highway to redirect us to where we want to go. We headed inland to Sennybridge initially and discovered countryside which I can only describe as more ‘wild’ than what we have seen previously as well as some examples of ruins of castles and battlements. The farms have opened out and given way to rugged Moors and forests with the occasional eagle prospecting for a meal. As we rode from the Post Office to the servo (to access Wi-Fi) a Hornet Jet (I think) flashed by overhead. Norm didn’t see it and wondered what on earth had flown to bits in the car passing him at the time the sound barrier reports reached us. It looked magnificent!

We continued from Sennybridge down through Swansea where we had lunch at a pub on a town square where the locals were laying on the grass looking at some Olympic elimination games on the big screen. From there we continued on into ‘The Mumbles’ which again we heard about from Neil Oliver’s ‘Coast’ Documentary. Cannot remember what it was known for but we wanted to get into our hotel today in good time so rode through town which was just beautiful and on to Bracelet Bay where we took a photo of the Mumbles Jetty then rode back through town and headed for Tenby where we stay tonight. The Mumbles is a beautiful seaside village with lovely green spaces between the beach and the road with well-established conifers as well as other green spaces. Obviously some good planning gone into it. The houses themselves are in good condition and not shabby. Lovely views all along the Esplanade and incredibly busy.



The Mumbles Jetty

Tenby is a treat! We followed along a big length of old village wall then turned a corner to the Esplanade and found our hotel shortly after. A lovely beach but our hotel has pots and hanging gardens of all description (multi begonia and succulent displays as well as joyous topiary exhibits) and is a must see. The inside is also a treat with lovely public spaces and nicely refurbished rooms. Feel really spoilt. A must see if you are in this neck of the woods.



A welcome entry tonight.

Bits and Bobs:

I passed Norm at a roundabout today and he got stuck at some lights…apparently didn’t appreciate the experience and took my photo…poor loser if you ask me!



Nola disappearing off into the wide blue yonder

Last nights’ Accommodation:

The Abbey Hotel, Tintern, Chepstow, Wales UK

A nice Hotel all round. The public spaces are in good condition and tastefully decorated but the room at best could be described as adequate and ageing. The spectacular view across the road to the ruins of Tintern Abbey made up for it. Lovely food at the Brassiere with very attentive staff. Really needed access to Wi-Fi but the Hotel is in the midst of changing carriers so no go. Bugger! Had to find an Inte



The Abbey Hotel, Tintern.

We took a fair amount of time over the first part of our trip today ooohing and aaahing over the spectacular scenery then had to get the lead out to get here at a reasonable hour.

We passed through Barnstaple and were in awe at the view we had as we crossed a large bridge with the Estuary out to our left some distance away and the picturesque village and port of sorts of Barnstaple to our right. Reminiscent of many old English paintings from my childhood. We enjoyed a wonderful trek down a lush and leafy Hele Valley between Barnstaple and Ilfracombe which was lovely and cool and subsequently discovered the beautiful little village of Ilfracombe nestled on the side of steep hills leading further down the valley to the beach some distance away.



Street view in Ilfracombe

The flowers on the roadside over the last day or so have been increasing in number and intensity of colour. They range from light pink through to deep purple and white to cream to deep yellow. The numbers have increased as we have headed north, don’t know if that is changing countryside or extended days of sunshine .… or both. Also many crops being harvested and hay down and being raked everywhere. Making the most of the last week’s sunshine no doubt. The locals everywhere we go are quick to tell us it is the first they have seen summer.

We have wound our way along the coastline as we headed north east to make our way into Wales. Again we were spoilt for choice with wonderful Cornwall then Somerset views across manicured farmland to the coast with increasing land holding sizes as we progressed into Wales . We also had a couple of visual highlights compliments of a local tip and also Neil Oliver’s ‘Coast’ Documentary.



On our passage through the Rock Valley Road on Castle Hill Road we found a Toll Point would you believe … right outside the Castle Gate… you have to love free enterprise…at least I think that’s what it was!



Ilfracombe mine tunnels – Compliments of Neil Oliver, Back in 1824 Miners hand dug mine tunnels through the hillside between the town of Ilfracombe and the Beach to provide 3 bathing areas (separate for men and women of course). It was a lovely cool walk through the tunnels when we visited in the morning. The first site was sandy and in full sun, the second area is now walled off and the third beach is fine black slate chips but soft underfoot and the beach itself was still in the shade so the children were having a lovely time in the water and the spectators were out of the sun. There were also a number of spots for coffee, play areas for children and some deck chairs to hire so they are having a serious go at catering for all sorts of people.



Rock Valley Road down on the coast – Compliments of a local garage attendant who supplied a bolt for Norm’s bike seat - the Woody Bay to Lynton Road. Incredible! Super narrow, barely a lane wide and thankfully only met a couple of vehicles BUT… it was all kinds of spectacular. The temperature on the lane was a comfortable cool with heavy shade overhead and the roads surrounded by lush trees and vine growth and the stone walls looked more like moss block walls interspersed with ferny / mossy blocks. Shame it was so dark and narrow, it would have made for an award winning picture opportunity….had there been room to safely stop to take it!!!. Cannot believe how fortunate we were to experience it.



The view from our lunch spot in Lynton

Our ride down a reasonably scary short cut lane into Tintern Village was spectacular although a breath holding experience…and some of the lanes we have been on today with a 25% gradient helps me to realise that our 33% gradient on the Hardknott pass in 2010 really would have earned me a big gnarly ‘Hardknott Guides Badge’ ….had I ever been a Girl Guide. Tintern itself is a tiny little Village which hugs the valley walls and welcomed us with a

Bits and Bobs:

Ever since we’ve arrived I’ve found myself ‘thinking’ about the blog …. and other things in a British accent .… I know, sounds crazy doesn’t it …but since we have been following some of the coastal towns Norm has been viewing on the ‘Coast’ Documentary, he confessed he has been thinking about it all in Neil Oliver’s Scottish accent …. so I feel a bit better about that now .... I think!

Last nights’ Accommodation:

West Country Inn, Bursdon Moor near Hartland, England UK
An original 16th Century Coaching Inn (the first when entering Devon, the last when leaving on the A39). We had a quirky but adequate room with en-suite bathroom and probably the most delicious meal we have had since arriving in the UK in their dining room last night. The road was very busy when we arrived but the windows shut the noise out ... and the traffic died away to close to nothing overnight. This was literally a Coaching Inn in the ‘middle of nowhere’ for the times it was built. Our hosts were welcoming and we were grateful for all that was offered.



A view of the West Country Inn from the A39.

A late night shot after dinner in Penzance across the water to the Abbey Wharf.

We have had an awesome day! So many great sights so will let the pictures tell the story! One exception…some of the ‘tunnels’ of leafy green trees we rode through were up to 100 meters or more long and so dark that we could see our headlights shine on the road in front of us. Not bad on a brilliantly sunny day….yes that’s what I said ‘brilliantly sunny’and I even had my jacket lining out today.



The Longships Lighthouse at Lands’ End where two oceans meet and it is officially the western most tip of England.



A nice stop for morning coffee in St Just.



A fine example of Cornwall farmland nicely intersected by hedgerows and rock walls as it rolls down to the ocean.



The village of Zennor. There was something growing on the side of the road here which looked and smelt like cherry blossom but only a meter or so high...very peculiar.



One of the beaches at St Ives where we had lunch in the Café at the top of the Tate Gallery where we could view two beaches at the same time. This was after riding right around the waterfront amidst the foot traffic. Very quirky!



We got to visit Port Isaac where the ‘Doc Marten’ Sit Comm is filmed. It was just beautiful. We had a cool drink at the Old School Hotel and Restaurant……yes, sorry; it hasn’t been a school for a long time. SUCH a pretty spot as were many more little ports and harbours we wound our way through.


Bits and Bobs:


Considering the fact that this last week is the first week of fine and sunny weather in the UK instead of persistent torrential rain and freezing temperatures, we’ve been amazed at the incredible sunburn we have seen. Are we just overkill on the sunscreen or what!



The toilet doors in the Old Schoolhouse Hotel Restaurant. A great optical illusion as are the coat hooks and bags.


Last nights’ Accommodation:

Glencree House B&B, Penzance UK

We had a tiny attic room in this lovely building but had our own bathroom and also use of the very comfortable dining / sitting room downstairs so would be a nice spot to stay for a couple of days. The hosts were very welcoming and there were lots of books and guide books which we were free to borrow. Beautiful original artwork (and some prints) with a mainly seaside theme throughout the building. Had a nice feel to it.



The sitting / dining room.

A snapshot of a small number of the watercraft on the River Fowey..…a picturesque view from the waterfront. Truly staggering to think that all the craft moored there can actually find their way around all the moorings to sail up river or down to the ocean.

We had a lovely dinner at the Safe Harbour Inn last night. I laughed at the name as it was literally several building storeys above the harbour level so if it wasn’t safe a good part of Fowey would be washed out to sea! The terrain is steep winding and in varying degrees of narrow which adds to the charm / difficulty in negotiating. After a convoluted trek on the bikes to get to the B&B we opted to leave the bikes and walk to the seafront and weren’t disappointed with lovely gardens and a huge variety of dry stone walls and architecture to view on our way. Spoilt for choice.



The working Harbour of Mevagissey.It was a treat to see the fish being delivered into the harbour, there was something wholesome about hearing all the talking, laughing and working sounds of the harbour.

Cornwall has proven to provide one picturesque view after another from sweeping patchwork quilt fields and crops to dappled green tunnels of trees as we‘ve wound our way down to and back from the coast as we’ve mainly followed the coast heading for Penzance.



Almost across to the shore on the King Harry Ferry on our way from Saint Mawes to Falmouth. Also saw some large ships ‘parked up’ in the inlet as they have no work at present. The attendant said the most he has seen at any one time was 27 tanker ships. Apparently once they arrive there, if they don’t get more work they are eventually scrapped…bit of a graveyard really.

The sun was out in force today and people at the beaches we visited were even in the water instead of lying about on the stones fully clothed which we’ve seen so far. We also found a couple of sandy beaches which I guess also encourages bare feet.



Snapshot view of some Cornwall countryside near Gunwalloe Cove.

We have enjoyed nearly all country lane riding today…and were grateful the roads were dry as a lot of them were narrow and steep with much dry silt on the roads from the rains of the previous few weeks so wouldn’t have been very friendly if they were wet. We have wound in and out of many little fishing villages and then found what seemed a more upmarket village in Mount Saint Michael just east of Penzance. Reminded us of Mont Saint Michel we visited in France last year. We had hoped to get a photo of the bikes in front of it as we had in France but we were getting dirty looks from the parking attendant so settled for a quick shot without the bikes.



Mount Saint Michael

Bits and Bobs:



The things you can find on the other side of a stile into a field…a biker doing his stretching exercises…..not fully convinced his problem is resolved.

Last nights’ Accommodation:

River View B&B, Fowey UK

A lovely home and welcome from the hosts with very nice glimpses of the river. The house and gardens are impeccably maintained and the home beautifully decorated and appointed and the hosts made room in their garage for the bikes..…couldn’t ask for more than that! Breakfast was delicious as well.



The welcome view to the back entry at River View.

A very stony beach (Seaton) complete with bathing boxes all closed up this morning but many were open complete with deck chairs and lots of people fishing along the shore yesterday evening.

As I headed down to the beach I discovered that what looked like a walking esplanade above the beach doubles as a sea wall complete with steel and concrete gates at intervals. Very impressive considering that the sea is many meters below this level. A local told us last night that his boat was smashed to pieces two months ago in a storm so not a tame bit of water by any stretch



Branscombe Forge, quirky building and a great example of a thatched roof.

Once on the road we headed for Branscombe since we have been addressed by this name (as well as many others) over the years. We discovered a little village / hamlet which was scattered along a lush green valley down to the beach which was just delightful and it set the tone for a series of country lanes and picturesque cottages throughout the day.



Typical of the buildings and gardens we saw as we wound in and through Branscombe. Reminded me of Normie’s Mum’s gardens over the years.


We rode through Dartmoor National Park over the Moors and were staggered at both the beauty of the rugged heath covered hills and the sweeping views down to the patchwork farmland below. In the unfenced sections there were many free roaming woolly sheep, cattle and large and small ponies. The locals (and tourists I guess) were out in force. Every lay by where there was room to park was full of cars and people off trampling, picnicking, lying about on rugs in the sun and sitting in deck chairs enjoying the views. Can’t blame them, the last couple of days have been the first real summer they have experienced after a couple of months of pouring rain and flooding. We were very grateful those weren’t the conditions on some of the roads we’ve been on today. Especially a short cut GARMIN sent us on which cut off many miles but was barely a lane wide and steep and gravelly and wet in patches. Thankfully we only met one car.



Haytor Vale

Fowey (pronounced Foy) by the locals is lovely. We have a nice view down over the river and will head off soon to find somewhere to eat.

Bits and Bobs:

We stopped for a photo opportunity looking across Widecombe in the Moor and Norm got talking to another biker who was a retired local policeman on his way to meet his brother in law (who was part of a Classic Bike club descending on the town from the opposite direction) for lunch. He recommended the local Inn as a good place for lunch and an interesting building. Would you believe as we got off our bikes in Widecombe that very same brother in law got off his bike we discovered when we started talking to him, then we ran into the retired policeman and directed him to his brother in law. Still shaking my head over that one….oh and yeah there were some great old (sorry classic bikes…since most were from the 60’s).



Looking down across Widecombe in the Moor as Norm and the local biker discuss the Classic Bike gathering. The Church tower in the distance is across the street from the Inn where we had lunch.

Last nights’ Accommodation:

Blue Waters B&B, UK

A regular looking building from outside but comfortable and tastefully decorated in a seaside theme with thoughtful and quirky extras as well. Breakfast was lovely and we enjoyed the scents in the courtyard of many pots of lilies and other plants.



The Courtyard, our first view as we entered, a nice welcome.

Norm realised by yesterday afternoon that the twitchy thing he had going on in his back was still not resolved and following the long flight it had gotten worse rather than better so he tracked down a chiropractor who was open this morning. He had a very thorough session and then we got some chemical cold packs and headed off with regular breaks for stretching and walking and although very sore tonight he is hopeful it is in fact a little easier ….watch this space.

I also have a very painful right elbow (I suspect from some excessive pruning of roses before our departure)…what a couple of old crocks! ….and to think I was concerned that the cortisone had worn off in my snookered ac joint in the shoulder…can’t feel the shoulder for the elbow…or the dodgy knee for that matter. You have to laugh!

Enough doom and gloom! At the suggestion of Norm’s Chiropractor we headed out to Hengistbury Head where we followed the path up through the heath covered dunes (beautiful) for a view out over the ocean and the inlet where the River Stour meets the ocean and back over the Village of Christchurch. Definitely worth the walk. Norm also had a lie down and stretch before we lunched at the Hiker Café and headed off for the day.



How English can you get…a garden dedicated to Queen Elizabeth on the edge of the recreation ground with a game of cricket in progress on Saturday morning!

Where yesterday we spent a lot of time on motorways, today we didn’t spend any time on them and it was an absolute treat for the eyes and the soul as we just soaked in one magnificent vista after another as well as some impressive real-estate around Sandbanks and Swanage not to mention a breathtaking view of the ruins of Corfe Castle. We spent lots of time soaking up spectacular countryside (not as many crops of wheat harvested and unharvested today) more rolling fields amongst hedges and leafy forests as well as heath covered hummocks and dramatic cliffs along the coastline. Awesome!

We wound our way down and out of many seaside villages and managed to stay out of the reach of wandering tourists (‘just’ on a couple of occasions…too quick to get a fright until after the event) and will head off for more of the same tomorrow.



On the beach at East Lulworth…note the absence of bathers / swimming costumes…I’ve packed mine in vain obviously…ah well, you get that

We’ve enjoyed seeing a patriotic display of flags and bunting in support of the Olympics and today also found an Olympic Village at Portland which was sympathetically built to fit well with the yachting theme and the ancient village. Very nice. From Portland we headed for Easton before coming back through Portland and the trip back down the cliff into the town was a magnificent view. We’re loving the coast!

Bits and Bobs:

The fire alarm went off just before midnight last night (someone broke something…I guess the glass in an alarm) next door in the Bailey Bridge.

Mental note: Since it is IMPOSSIBLE to think with the alarm screeching we need to check the ‘Fire Alarm’ routine on check-in (which we hadn’t) and have a torch (which we didn’t) in case there are no lights in just such an occurrence. Have bought the torch today and damn…forgot to check the routine here....but no drama, only one staircase to the outside so just run like hell down the stairs and out the door!

A Costa’s ‘large coffee’ this should surely be called a ‘HUGE coffee’ in anyone’s language. Struggled to lift it with one hand…okay so that was a woosy female hand, but huge anyway.



‘LARGE’ Costa coffee

Last nights’ Accommodation:

Premier Inn, Christchurch UK
Good sized room, well appointed, lovely comfortable bed. Staff very friendly and terrifically focused on customer service and did it well. Meals next door (part of the complex I think) at the Bailey Bridge which was a great space and food yummy and again very customer focused.



Premier Inn

We enjoyed another 11 hours sleep overnight and headed off nice and early with blue skies which quickly turned largely grey however we only got a small sprinkle of rain and not enough to entice us to stop and don the waterproof gear and we soon dried off. The sun has come out this afternoon which has been nice.

We still haven’t managed to sort out our route plotting on the GARMIN so have changed our preferences on them tonight to see if we can see less Motorway and more rural roads tomorrow. We rode ‘past’ the ‘sign’ to Windsor Castle and just about every other town we had fed into the thing last night. The only reason we got to see the Cathedral was because we had added it as a via point instead of part of the route. Ah well, we will probably have it sorted by the time we get back.



Winchester Cathedral, well about half of it actually…..just typing the name starts me humming the tune!

We arrived at our hotel with plenty of time for a good walk down to the High Street and on to the Priory which was quite beautiful in rolling green grounds then headed for the quay. Lots of people about the street and also through the parklands here and the local council have made a great effort with their floral gardens which form a lovely backdrop to the recreation grounds.

Heard this afternoon that there has been another quake close to home in Gippsland (4.3) so after how rattled I was after the last one I’m happy to have missed it and staying in Christchurch tonight has made us conscious of our New Zealand neighbours in Christchurch who are still trying to come to terms with dramatically changed circumstances since their massive quake. We truly are fortunate.



A view along the River Stour to the Christchurch Sailing Club

Bits and Bobs:

Big numbers of trucks / lorries on the road today, mainly semis but some rigids as well. I was impressed to pass one car carrier with 11 cars stacked up on it. Couldn’t get a pic as I was mobile. I largely enjoy the Motorways over here. Everyone gets in and travels at or close to the maximum speed which they need to or there would be chaos and traffic volumes have been consistently heavy.

Last nights’ Accommodation:

Phil & Jean’s, Marshside UK

Lovely comfy home away from home and we look forward to catching up with Phil and Jen on our return before we head back home



St Kilda